As I Lay Dying is one of the first and best metalcore acts. Their latest Awakened isn't radically different than their older records, but it never sounds stale or phoned in. Plan and Simple, As I Lay Dying is just great at what they do. There is thrash-influenced solos, melodic riffs and hooks galore, and of course their biggest asset, vocalist Tim Lambesis, who continues to be one of the best vocalists in all of metal in my opinion with his monstrous screams. As I Lay Dying has stuck to their guns and made another excellent and memorable record, Let's hope their consistency stays forever.

I agree with pretty much everything you said here. Tim is an absolutely killer vocalist, and his performance of "Wake Up" for the Mitch Lucker memorial show impressed me even more - it would be interesting to see his higher range in some future AILD songs.

9.Kendrick Lamar-good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar is the savior of mainstream hip-hop. His major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, is a layered, complex concept record about his upbringing in the rough streets of Compton and how was he able to overcome it and go onto to become a successful rapper. He is a master storyteller that expertly weaves 3-4 different stories with ease. His lyrics are full of honesty, no matter what the subject. It doesn't matter if it's stupid, brag-rap song like "Backseat Freestyle" set through the eyes of his teenage self or a magnum-opus like "Sing About Me/I'm Dying of Thirst" which is about a friend of his who was a gang member that shot and killed on the street, He approaches it with sincerity and intelligence. This is an ambitious, emotionally powerful, cohesive, and smart album that successfully bridges the gap between mainstream and underground hip-hop. It gets better upon each listen and if Kendrick Lamar keeps it up, he will be one of the most important and influential hip-hop artists of his generation.

8.Periphery-Periphery II: This Time It's Personal
The godfathers of the alleged "djent" genre are back and better than ever on their second record. There is less chug and groove riffs than their debut and more of a focus on their melodic elements. They balance the progressive, haunting tracks ("Luck as a Constant", "Scarlet", "Erised", "Mile Zero") and their heavier, more groove-based side ("Make Total Destroy", "Facepalm Mute", "Have a Blast") much better on this album and the songwriting is definitely improved. Spencer Sotelo busted his ass on vocals on this album. His cleans are even better than before and his screams are far superior to their past work. His performance on this album is nothing short of incredible. I also really dug the inclusion of guest guitarists performing solos. Jazz-fusion virtuso Guthurie Govan, Dream Theater's (and guitarist Jake Bowen's uncle) John Petrucci, and The Faceless's Wes Hauch all play diverse and exceptional solos that add depth to the respective songs they are featured on. Periphery has matured a lot from their first record. Everyone in the band stepped their game up big time on this record and it pays off with an incredibly satisfying and flat-out great record.

9.Kendrick Lamar-good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar is the savior of mainstream hip-hop. His major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, is a layered, complex concept record about his upbringing in the rough streets of Compton and how was he able to overcome it and go onto to become a successful rapper. He is a master storyteller that expertly weaves 3-4 different stories with ease. His lyrics are full of honesty, no matter what the subject. It doesn't matter if it's stupid, brag-rap song like "Backseat Freestyle" set through the eyes of his teenage self or a magnum-opus like "Sing About Me/I'm Dying of Thirst" which is about a friend of his who was a gang member that shot and killed on the street, He approaches it with sincerity and intelligence. This is an ambitious, emotionally powerful, cohesive, and smart album that successfully bridges the gap between mainstream and underground hip-hop. It gets better upon each listen and if Kendrick Lamar keeps it up, he will be one of the most important and influential hip-hop artists of his generation.

7.Every Time I Die-Ex Lives
"I want to be dead with my friends" is the first lyric on the opening track of Every Time I Die's latest Ex Lives "Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space" and it perfectly sets the tone for how crushing this record is. From the opening notes of "Under Bimbos" to the closing notes of "Indian Giver", Every Time I Die grabs you by the throat and takes you on a ride that throws a lot of curveballs and is full of relentless intensity. Every Time I Die's mash of hardcore, metalcore, sludge, and southern rock adds even more to it's arsenal with some experimentation with bluegrass ("Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow") and low-key alternative rock ("Revial Mode"). Don't get me wrong, for the most part this is still the catchy, heavy, and chaotic Every Time I Die that has been decimating the metal community for the past decade or so, there is just a little of bit variation to their trademark attack on this record. In my opinion, Ex Lives is Every Time I Die's best work to date and I'm stoked to finally see these crazy bastards headline in March.